WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS, GOLFERS MOSTLY KEEP LIVES IN BOUNDS

In an era when athletes sometimes make more headlines for arrests than
accomplishments, golf stands tall. With few exceptions, it remains the
cleanest of all professional sports.

Unlike most sports, golf is self-policing. Drug use is nonexistent because
it is virtually impossible to function at a high level when using them.
Golf requires mental and physical skill, as well as the ability to
concentrate for at least four hours at a time. Success is so fragile and
competition so fierce, golfers who abuse their bodies probably won't last.

"IT'S ALWAYS BEEN a gentleman's game,'' said PGA Tour standout Payne
Stewart. "Now that there's a new throng of people coming in, they have to
learn that. It's not about being rowdy and carrying on. That's fine out at
the country club, but at golf tournaments, there's a way to act and there's
a way not to act.''

Professional golfers are independent contractors. Although top players on
the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and Senior PGA Tour receive lucrative equipment,
clothing and endorsement contracts, technically, they are free agents. They
are paid for their performance. They arrange and pay for their own travel,
accommodations and meals and are not compensated unless they play well.

"I take pride in the way I conduct myself, how I view the game and how
people view me,'' Stewart said. "I'm very proud of the profession I've
chosen.''

John Daly is an exception to the Payne Stewarts of the tour. A recovering
alcoholic, his drinking binges are legendary, and his life is a daily
struggle. He has enormous spectator appeal and talent, as evidenced by
victories at the 1991 PGA Championship and 1995 British Open. But he nearly
drank himself to death at the 1997 Players Championship in Florida, was
suspended, attended rehab and has been sober ever since.

"I've been doing real well for the last year and three months,'' Daly said
last week at the British Open. "I am winning a major every day I wake up. I
still crave it (alcohol) every day.''

Daly realizes this could be his last chance in golf. Should he slip again,
his career is probably finished. Had Ely Callaway, CEO of equipment giant
Callaway Golf, not rescued him, Daly might not be around. The words "Keep
It Straight, John" are written on his black golf bag and don't just refer
to his drives.

Daly has four professional victories, but when and if the next one comes,
it will be his most precious. He regularly attends Alcoholic Anonymous
meetings, has reconciled with his wife, Paulette, and hopes to stay off
booze permanently.

"THAT'S THE BATTLE I face every day,'' he said. "As long as I can get
through a day and not drink, it's a miracle.''

Laura Baugh, once a prominent member of the LPGA Tour and one of the most
photographed and popular players in the world, also is a recovering
alcoholic. She nearly lost her family and career but has returned to
competitive golf. She is trying to put her life back together.

Golfers have had a long association with alcohol, hence the "19th hole."
But those who play the game for a living and abuse alcohol have short
careers.

Tom Watson, one of the most celebrated golfers in history, recently quit
drinking. Publicly, he had never shown any signs of over-indulgence. But
the 48-year-old Watson, whose father is a recovering alcoholic, says he
quit on his own.

"I've seen Tom have cocktails and enjoy himself at different functions,''
said PGA Tour veteran and television analyst Roger Maltbie, who enjoys a
few libations. "I don't know how much he was drinking or if it was a
problem. He determined it was something he wanted to stop.''

Maltbie, a former member of the PGA Tour policy board, helped devise the
organization's alcohol and substance abuse policy in 1986. The policy is
implemented and interpreted by the commissioner and contains specific
language about education, deterrence, counseling and treatment.

"I think the commissioner has some pretty broad powers if it becomes known
to him that someone has a problem or his behavior has caused problems
involving the use of alcohol or drugs,'' Maltbie said. "A player will be
put on suspension and pretty much ordered to undergo treatment and not
allowed to compete until that is completed.''

IF THE OFFENDER ISN'T a marquee player such as Daly, the situation is
handled quietly. Not that the commissioner has been busy.

The PGA's policy

Text of the PGA's alcohol and substance abuse policy: Under the PGA Tour
Alcohol and Substance Abuse Policy, the commissioner is charged with the
responsibility of determining what matters constitute conduct unbecoming of
a professional with respect to the alcohol and substance abuse. In order to
appraise PGA Tour members of their responsibility to their organization and
inform them of what actions will constitute conduct unbecoming a
professional in this regard, the following interpretation is being issued
by the commissioner:

1. Any member found to be using or selling illegal substances shall be
considered to have engaged in conduct unbecoming of a professional and
shall be subject to a very significant penalty (minimum fine of $1,000 and
multi-year suspension up to and including expulsion).

2. Any member found to have violated any of the following provisions
relating to the use of alcohol shall be considered to have engaged in
conduct unbecoming of a professional and shall be subject to a significant
penalty (a minimum fine of $1,000, suspension from play of no less than
four weeks and one year probation):

A. Consuming an alcoholic beverage during any practice round or tournament
round (whether a pro-am round or a tournament competition round), on the
practice tee or putting green.

B. Moderate, responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages after play or
during social functions is permitted. But players should know that alcohol
related unprofessional incidents will carry the above minimum penalties.

3. A PGA Tour member's responsibility to conduct himself in a professional
manner and lend credit to himself and his organization extends beyond the
time that the member is engaging in tournament play at a tournament site.
Accordingly, the Membership should be aware that, depending on the
circumstances, being under the influence of alcohol at any time in a public
place, whether at a tournament site or otherwise, may constitute conduct
unbecoming of a professional under the PGA Tour Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Policy and may be subject to appropriate penalties.

4. The commissioner will conduct such inquiries and investigations as shall
be appropriate (taking statements of witnesses, requiring urinalysis tests,
etc.) to determine whether a member has violated the alcohol and substance
abuse policy or any interpretations thereof.

"I know some guys that can abuse alcohol pretty good at times,'' said
Maltbie. "I've never known anyone who used drugs. I don't think you can go
out there under the influence of anything and do any good. It's pretty
self-defeating.''

Stewart agreed.

"You couldn't get away with it and perform out here at a high level,'' said
Stewart. "You just can't. It shows up in your game.''

Several years back, ex-PGA Tour player Mac O'Grady accused many players of
taking drugs called beta blockers to calm their nerves. The outspoken
O'Grady didn't name names and was widely criticized for his remarks.

Nick Price of South Africa, a former British Open and PGA champion,
admitted using beta blockers for about seven years from 1983-1990 to reduce
his blood pressure. If anything, he says, the drugs hindered his
performance.

"Without a doubt,'' he said. "Here's a guy (O'Grady) talking about
something that he knows nothing about because he's never experienced
anything. I experienced it firsthand, and that's the worst thing that you
could ever have happen.

"You've got to have peaks and troughs in your metabolism. The adrenaline
has to flow, and that thing cuts your adrenaline off. So you just feel like
a complete zombie all day. That's the worse thing about it. You can't get
up when you want to get up.''

PRICE, WHOSE FAMILY has a history of high blood pressure, uses another
medication now and is sorry he ever tried beta blockers. He said golf is
tough enough without using alcohol and drugs.

"This game requires speed, steadiness.
It requires so much that there
isn't a drug out there that will enhance all aspects of a person's
feeling,'' said Price. "You need to have speed, but then you need to be
very quiet. What do you want to do, take an amphetamine before you hit your
drive, and then take a downer before you putt?''

Although most professional golfers are sports fans, they see their game in
a different light. The high level of competition and constant travel make
for a rough lifestyle. Most are careful about what they eat and drink, work
out regularly and take good care of themselves -especially with $2 million
purses on the line every week.

Stewart is appalled by how lax owners of professional teams have become
with their athletes and thinks they should clamp down. Not that he expects
it to happen.

"How do they keep getting away with it?" he said. "That's what bothers me.
They get paid these huge sums of money, and some are caught in the limo
with underage girls; some are caught with marijuana; some are caught with
cocaine; and they just go play.

"That's not right. They should make an example of these guys, kick them out
of the league and tear up their contracts. Maybe it would clean the sports
up.''

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)